You are viewing data about the Neuse River at three locations in North Carolina. First, click on the hyperlink below to open the data sets.

• Click on “Neuse River Information”. It may take a minute to fully load. If you have issues, Click Here.
• Instructions
  • Open Google Spreadsheets.
  • Create a spreadsheet page for each location: New Bern, Flanner Beach, and Cherry Point.
  • Your data sets have two values for every category because the USGS took readings at both the top and bottom of the river.
    • Begin each set at 1996.
    • For each category and each year, average the two values (sampling depth, water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen). Thus you will have five categories as such:

• For temperature, use degrees Fahrenheit instead of Celius. To convert, use the formula is Fº = (9/5)•Cº + 32
• Answer the following questions below using your spreadsheet files.

Helpful insights from the EPA

• Temperature should be less than 25º C, or 77º F
• pH should be between 6.5 and 8.0
• Conductivity should be between 150 and 500 ms/cm
• Dissolved oxygen must be above 5 mg/l. Good water has at least 8 mg/l.

Questions

1) Create scatterplots of temperature vs. year, pH vs. year, conductivity vs. year, and dissolved oxygen vs. year for each site.

2) Of the four items, which appear to be in good condition for the health of the river. Explain your reasoning.

3) Of the four items, which appear to be in poor condition for the health of the river. Explain your reasoning.

4) Based upon your scatterplots, does there appear to be an improvement in the overall quality of the river? Explain why or why not.

5) Overall, would you consider this river system to be in good condition? Explain why or why not.

6) Embed your spreadsheets below.